RCAF48

Sounds like good decisions by both Ylonen and the Habs.

Watched the rookie games and Guhle often looked better than the other highly touted prospect. Guhle should go back to junior and we could see him in a NHL uniform in two years. Not sure who Flynn was watching but he must be confused because Guhle's skating speed and edgework is above the current average NHL level and I don't think any one said that about Hal Gill.

It was not meant as an argument, I meant it as a statement or an opinion. You may argue if you wish. My post was a reply to an earlier one that asked what teams put their players in a position to succeed. I accept that my opinion is a complete false one but it is the only one I have this AM. About a third of today's roster includes Wideman, Kulak, Norlinder, Romanov, Paquette, Perrault, and Evans. IMO these players struggle to remain in the bottom of our lineup and would be in a better position to excel elsewhere in our system. Since your definition of success appears to be holding on to a bottom pairing or 4th line position I can see why you don't agree with my suggesting that about a third of our lineup will have difficulty succeeding at the NHL level this year. I even think Caufield will have difficulty meeting the level of success expected of him as he begins his first long grind of an NHL season, I will even utter the sacrilegious thought that he might benefit from more AHL time. I haven't complained about Chiarot, Edmundson, and Savard because I think they are in a position to succeed and would not benefit from further minor league exposure . I have always thought they were good NHL players. I also think Byron is. IMO if the bottom end of our lineup was better it would follow that our top end would also be better but I have no advanced stats to support that opinion, just a gut feeling. I respect your opinion that our fringe players are better than other team's fringe players. - 30 -

If JK took the least amount of responsibility for his own development, instead of blaming management and pouting over Suzuki's success and Staal's commitment to play the type of game that gave our team the best chance to win, he would still be a Hab. Maybe Carolina can get through to him, if not he may join Galchenyuk circling the drain to the KHL where good salaries are paid to guys with great potential who don't like doing the hard things required of a professional athlete..

If the Habs put their players in a position to succeed about a third of them would be in the KHL or AHL.

It is done. We went to the SCF last year and that was fun regardless that it may not have been accomplished in accordance with the proper use of advanced analytics. Somehow that was more fun, Weber on one leg, Petry with one hand, Byron scoring on his knees, Perry rolling the clock back and S...t...a...a...l moving at glacier speed but doing what the coaches asked of him and getting the job done. And of course, beating Toronto.......be still my foolish heart In isolation letting JK go and gaining Dvorak made us better on paper so I am looking forward to the season in anticipation of frustrating the naysayers again and making some more noise. Hockey is a game played best with passion, when the puck is dropped anything can happen. (apologies to MB & kinot-2) Let the games begin.

I think he ran himself out of town through indifferent play and pettiness over not being treated as the super star he imagined himself to be. If he had sucked it up and worked on quietly improving his game like Suzuki, Evans and Poehling have he would still be a Montreal Canadien. Hopefully he matures and improves his skating to the point that he becomes a reasonable top six forward in the future. Since he blamed Montreal management for his struggles and management did not yet trust him to show up each game there was no future for him here. I wish him no ill will but I will not grieve over his departure. Carolina paid 6.1 million plus a 1st rounder & a 3rd rounder for his five regular season goals so I would suggest Montreal did a dismal job in devaluing him.

Doesn't let him off the hook for the draft day embarrassment but it is a small step in the right direction. He acquired the best actual hockey player involved in today's dealings and for less money. I can't fault him for that. JK's potential has been touted for so long that I consider it right up there with good Corsi numbers in predicting actual results. Draft picks after the top ten are basically a lottery and with our scouting dept the top ten can also become a lottery. So, yea I'm not too upset.

I did not like drafting JK at # 3 and nothing he has done since then altered my position on that point. However, my view as to his worth to the team did change from neutral to negative when he signed the offer sheet with the #s 15 & 20 added to the contract solely to embarrass his employer he crossed a line with me. He can take his petulant, little boy attitude to Carolina and I won't miss him one iota. If you are old enough to deposit pay cheques you are old enough to show some respect to the people who make them possible. Besides, we already have a Zamboni at the Bell Centre.

^^^^^ What Quebec born GM candidate would you pick to replace MB?

Watching these women play for Canada had me wishing JK could skate as well as 75% of our women players and that Drouin would play the game with the joy and heart that 100% of our Canadian women showed.

Nice OT goal!! A great comeback to win a world championship! The joy on the ladies' faces is so refreshing.

Why would anyone lose their job over a player being grossly overpaid by another team? Now if MB was to pay JK 6.1 M for 1 year I could see grounds for termination.

If MB lets JK walk at 6.1 M he improves our team 's future while diminishing Carolina's. This contract will make JK our second highest paid forward and Carolina's third highest paid player.......all for five goals last season. and 31 goals in 200 NHL games. I guess 6.1 M doesn't buy much these days particularly in Carolina. MB should have the last laugh in this fiasco by letting Carolina pay their 3rd or 4th line centre 6.1 M this year and then being forced to resign him at 6.1+ the following season or lose him to free agency. JK should savour this windfall, brought about by a teenage move by Waddell. But regardless of where he plays next year he will have to play consistently above the level he has demonstrated so far. If he doesn't the fans will certainly let him know and there won't be any fatherly pats on the head nor guys stepping up to fight his battles. You can only play the kid with potential card so long before you have to man up and start earning respect as a real player.

I watched the Canada - Finland game and immediately noticed a similarity to a NHL game...................the caliber of refereeing.